Tag Archives: Coaching

Form Shooting allows players to improve their technique when performing a Set or Jump Shot by working on form and the fundamental technique (Photo Source: Jeramey Jannene)

Form Shooting is a type of shooting method where each item of the technique is broken down into more easily manageable pieces and corrections made accordingly. Form shooting allows for a coach or player to spend time with their shot ironing out any particular flaw that maybe having a significant affect upon their overall shot. Players of all ages, skill levels and abilities need to employ the strategy of form shooting to better manage their shot and always be improving.

The action of performing a Set Shot or Jump Shot in basketball are very complex movement, and are readily changed due to contact from defenders, distance from the basketball hoop and situation in which the action is undertaken. The complexity of the action can hide little weaknesses within an individual’s technique. If enough of these little “one percenters” are present, they can have a problematic effect upon the shot.

Creates an Opportunity Isolate an Element of the Shooting Action

Form shooting’s real strength is in the fact it allows itself to have the basic mechanics of shooting broken down, slowed and a high level of explicit feedback provide about each repetition. This does not mean a coach speaks volumes about the action, but rather provide simple feedback more frequently, and specifically, about a particular part of the players shooting form.

For example an error in a player’s shooting arm can be isolated by having a player shoot with one arm and so feedback more specifically mentioned about this area.

Allows for more Time Coaching

By employing the tactic of form shooting a coach gives themselves more repetitions, and more time to analysis and evaluate a players shooting action. This helps immensely with player development as many more repetitions can be seen by a coach, and then commented upon. Identifying the issues is one step, but allowing a player time to implement the correction while still receiving feedback is one of the other significant benefits of form shooting.

It is a common situation where a coach provides feedback to a player and because of time restrictions when working with groups that they are not able to follow-up on the instructions outcome on an ongoing basis. If using form shooting in an individual or small group context this issue can be overcome.

All relationships in a team sport are based around time. Taking the time to work with a player specifically around their functional shot action is a great way for a coach to build a strong bond of trust by demonstrating their investment in the athlete.

Allows for Development of Self-Coaching

Players often hear very similar messages from different coaches. The steps in performing a set or jump shot are well known by many coaches. What can be of benefit when form shooting, is because of the repetition and specific instructions given to the player. The feedback becomes heavily personalised and tailored to the individual. This makes remembering the instruction easier for the player and more meaningful.

Coaches should look to take this benefit of the individualised instruction further by questioning players about their own form shooting after providing some consistent feedback and instruction. Players will then start to critique their own action.

A further benefit of this happening in an individualised or small group session, is that a coach can then provide feedback on the perception of the player about what they feel is wrong with their shooting action. This empowers a player to not only make a difference in their own shot, but provides an opportunity for a coach to try and shift the perception (if correct) about what an athlete feels is wrong.

Form shooting is a very valuable tool in dealing with improving a player’s shooting action. Implemented well and the strategy behind form shooting not only provides opportunity for a player to learn from their own mistakes, but creates another coach on the floor.

When looking to start out planning a training session many coaches will start by formatting a session in the time-honored way of selecting activities or Drills for a warm-up, skills based section, tactical segment and then finally finishing with some conditioning and cool-down activities. This strategy helps give some fundamental structure to a session, but what is commonly overlooked is the drill selection within each segment of the training session. Drill Progression while a hugely important aspect of planning, needs to be balanced by the stage of development a team finds itself within.

Many coaches will look to implement solid drill progression principles within every activity they undertake in a training session. This is often linked back (if a periodization has been undertaken) to a look at the training cycle and season lay-out. This helps coaches with methodically planning out how long to train a certain activity and when to introduce new concepts.

Good Drill Progression is a building block for individual and team development. Overusing drills however can slow this progress and development for players (Photo Source: Jim Larrison)

One point to think about when selecting drills is the progression a team is at within the development cycle. If a team’s members have moved past 1 v 0, 1 v 1 and 2 v 2 situational breakdowns. If they are now up to a 3 v 3 drill series, it could be a waste of time, or of little benefit to continually go back and use a full drill progression starting from 1 v 0.

If a team and its members are struggling to master the 3 v 3 situation, then how will the 1 v 0 breakdown benefit them? The challenges faced by teams are often based around the furthest point of their skill set. By constantly reviewing breakdowns before this point of challenge, all that will happen is a player becomes better at performing a drill and not advancing a particular skill or set of skills.

This also highlights another point for a coach to consider when selecting drills, how often should the same drill be utilised within a season? Overuse of a drill makes players robotic in their application of the drills points of emphasis. While this maybe be beneficial in high participant numbered breakdowns such as 4 v 4 or 5 v 5. At the lower end of participant numbers the results can be limiting and produce tunnel vision in athletes. A suggestion to counter this effect is to have a suite of drills that work to reinforce technical and tactical skills or principles at the 1 v 0, 1 v 1 and 2 v 2 breakdown level of training.

With such a range of different resources for drills coaches, they should not become complacent or lazy in their approach to selecting new ways to challenge a team. Every coach will have their favourite drills for targeting key areas of identified development. This however, is different to using a drill excessively and having players become proficient at performing the drill rather than learning the principle and being able to apply this to a different game like context that can be experienced through another drill.

For coaches a couple of benefits will be derived by this strategy of having greater changeover of drills. When a coach first starts to build a drill bank, they will find that with each change in drill there is a learning period for a team to adapt to the new instructions. This “adaption” or “flexibility” is a skill in itself and will be of benefit for the players into the future. For the coach however, the benefit lies in the identification of the teaching point, focus, points of emphasis or principles of the drill being concurrent, or the same in all the drills utilised. A coach will start to focus on highlighting the principle which is the focus of the activity, and not the mastering of the drill pattern itself.

Try limiting the use of any one drill to between three and seven times throughout a season.

Selecting a good range of drills to help with a team’s development, but will take some time unless a coach can work on creating their own versions of drills specific to a team’s need. In many cases however, even the best coaches look to draw in part, inspiration from a variety of sources and one of these options is other coach’s drills and session plans.

Senior Players will require patience and understanding just the same as juniors. A key difference is that personalities can be a lot bolder and stronger (Photo Source: USAG- Humphreys)

Many coaches can easily observe the relationships between coaches and senior players through the media. Even if an individual has never coached in this environment, a simple scroll through any sports news website or quick look at the sports section of a paper will reveal numerous examples of the difficulties faced by those in these positions. Challenges such as money, playing time, opportunity and clashes in philosophy are just some of the more common reasons sighted for conflict that can lead to a dysfunctional team, and in turn, a poor season as a result of underperforming.

The difficulties in managing senior players as they move from a junior mentality to the distractions of being their own person can be difficult because of the unique situation many players find themselves in. In small team sports such as basketball, players can come from very different backgrounds and have followed a great variety of different paths to reach their current position. This means different values and the importance placed upon different aspects of a relations for each individual.

There are however a few points which may help identify possible problems earlier so small issues can be dealt with before they become big problems, or it might be just a case of having more time to deal with these issues allowing cooler heads to prevail instead of heated words and emotions getting the better of everyone involved.

One situation that helps create a basis for dialogue is to have an opportunity for players to speak with a coach. We are not talking about during training sessions, but maybe before or after training and in some cases away from the court completely. If a player feels that there is an opportunity to talk, this might be the catalyst that is needed in allowing a player to come forward and clear the air of any issue they maybe experiencing.

Always respond to a player in a respectful and honest manner. Too many times one person behaving badly is often seen as justification for both individuals involved in conflict to act poorly. This does not have to be the case. Players because of the physicality of sport and emotional drive often needed at senior levels lose their ability to exercise perfect judgement. By displaying greater character in these situations, coaches have an opportunity to later reflect on the situation with the player and discuss how to better handle this situation next time.

Define the issue. Many of the earlier mentioned problems to do with how a team functions are very similar to those of junior athletes. Except at the senior level, there is often more at stake such as career opportunities. This makes the stakes all the more higher and a coach must respond with a more defined and well throughout reasoning when questioned about their philosophy, selections and strategies. This will happen for most coaches as they develop into the mould of a senior coach, however, having a philosophy, and being able to articulate it are often two very different things. Especially when confronted with a senior player who is less likely to just accept a reason without it making sense to them.

Understand the hierarchy within the team environment. Rookies or junior players entering into a senior team will have a different set of needs and experience different challenges to those of more established or veteran players. In a team all players will play a role, understanding though the individual’s needs, wants, strengths and weaknesses will allow a coach to truly get the most out of each individual without risking the stability of the group by making obvious exceptions to behaviour or expectations. Having the ability to explain a message to new players on their level, while selling the ideal to the established players, and then planting the seed for leaders of the group to adopt this philosophy is where the real skill is at.

The journey for each of the senior players within a team is different. Many stories sound the same, but it is these little differences, the side stories and experiences that help build a real connection with individuals that facilitates trust and goodwill. For senior players these can be the difference between leaving and staying within a team environment even though some things are not to their absolute liking.

Coaching is a small town provides a number of challenges for building and sustaining a program (Photo Source: Bobby P.)

Basketball Coaching does not always happen within a supportive environment like in an established program. In the corners of many rural or regional areas clubs, schools or associations are started or established by individuals, not boards, or committees. In these types of situations where there is a “bare bones” approach to what can be offered, basketball coaching expertise and knowledge at its simplest is of the highest priority. So how can a coach gain support and continue to develop their knowledge as well as confidence in these types of situations?”

There a number of different support mechanisms that can be employed to help when basketball coaching. It often just requires a little more time and effort to find the support many coaches often require to continue along their coaching journey.

Internet

It is well documented on the Functional Basketball Coaching website, as well as gaining evidence from a quick internet search, that there is plenty of information to be found on the world wide web. Some of this information will be written, some will be in audio, and other resources will be audio visual. Depending on the coach, then one of the different mediums will be easier to utilise then the others.

For coaches who cannot gain access to meeting with other basketball coaches face to face, then using a mixture of these mediums will be the best strategy to understanding the correct technique or tactical breakdowns needed for individual development and game play.

Videoing Sessions

One of the more easily used strategies when basketball coaching in isolation of other coaches is to simply video tape training sessions and games. These videos can be sent to other coaches, coaches associations, or regulatory bodies who will then (in most cases) provide some critical feedback.

Many regulatory bodies while not always having resources to support everyone face to face by putting people into the field, However they can often mobilise resources to provide feedback through the use of video.

Using the internet to send audio visual files is the easiest way to transfer the information. All modern video cameras make this a very easy process of recording, downloading and then attaching to e-mail or using cloud services to saves files where they can be easily accessed.

Developing a Local General Coaching Network

Coaching is a universal skill and can be transferred from one sporting context to another. While the technical and tactical knowledge is specific to a sport, the art of coaching is not. A coach with sound communication skills can utilise these skills in any number of similar situations that are different to just being on the court.

Asking coaches from other sports to come, view a training session, and then provide feedback can be a highly valuable way of gaining feedback that is not sports specific, but can still be very useful for everyday coaching.

Online Courses

With the development of the internet, there is now wealth of knowledge available through online courses. The courses are often provided by governing bodies and cover sports specific topics as well as general principles of coaching. Other organisations such as commercial entities will also provide these services, but if possible working with the state sporting organisation is the best options as these courses are specifically designed to meet the sporting philosophy of the area.

In remote areas, coaching can be a challenge. Problems with facilities, recruiting athletes and having the right equipment can be a real challenging. Coaching however, remains often an ongoing issue, as it is a harder, more draw out process when working by yourself and trying to develop a range of skills specific to sport.

Scouting is one of the more important aspects to a coach’s preparation for a tournament. For many coaches the act of scouting itself has a number of flow on effects within the team’s preparation and overall scheduling of events during a tournament. Developing a deeper understanding about scouting when heading into a tournament situation can therefore have a significant impact on an outcome as well as the how time is spent.

Below are some points to consider about scouting and successful implementation of the strategy during a tournament situation.

Collecting and developing scouting notes is one thing. Making sure that they are used during preparation for and during games is another thing. Remember scouting notes can be used by coaching staff and players alike during games to help keep focused (Photo Source: au_tiger01)

Develop a Standardised Tool

Some coaches find that attending a game with a pen and paper is all they need when scouting a game of basketball. For senior coaches, this might very well be the case. However, for many teams there will be a variety of different people involved in the scouting process. Especially in tournament situations. Having a scouting tool therefore that outlines what is desired by the coach will be of help in directing everyone onto the same points of note or areas needing to be covered.

Develop a Scouting Pool

Because during a tournament games can be scheduled at different times or at different venues it is not always possible for one person (like the Head Coach) to scout every game personally. To overcome this challenge, a number of people should be brought into a scouting pool so all games which need to be covered can be scouted.

People selected can be parents, friends, and other coaches. Obviously, not everyone has the same basketball IQ, so it is therefore more important to develop a standardised scouting tool as discussed earlier so everyone is clear on what is needed.

Even if a team has the ability to video games that can then be reviewed by a coach at a later time, there will still need to be a person available who is able to do this task. Having a pool of people available makes the task of scouting easier for everyone.

Trial during Exhibition Games

If looking to utilise other people’s experience when scouting then a useful strategy for a coach to employ so they acquire the information they desire is to have the scouting pool attended one or two games as a group and scout as a collective. This is really useful for groups where there is a large range of different scouting abilities.

Remember, even senior coaches can become focused on different aspects of a game to those a that the Head Coach might not necessarily see as being of the most significance. Taking some time at the outset of a program to provide guidance can stop a number of issues from occurring later on. These issues, such as miss-information, poor quality of notes, are difficult to manage, correct, and change during a tournament.

Provide Feedback to Scouts

Scouts like any person fulfilling a role within the team need to receive feedback. What was good? What could be improved? Is there enough detail? Are the important parts of the scouting information covered? How did you arrive at this conclusion? Are just some of the questions a coach can ask themselves when about to pass on feedback concerning scouting information.

Different coaches, value different things. For some coaches aspects of team play (offense or defence) are the most vital element of scouting notes. For others individual player habits and attributes are the crucial element in scouting reports. If a coach does not provide some feedback directly related to what areas are of high importance or low importance then a scout is not aware of what areas to focus on more significantly.

Know the Schedule

A scouting tool is developed, a pool of scouts is recruited and everyone has a consistent vision about how to scout. The next step is to look at the schedule for the tournament and calculate which games need to be covered.

Some strategies may include:

Allocating scouts to a venue; especially useful when multiple venues are in use

Allocate blocks of time for a scout to be at a venue; this can be a useful way of limiting the burden placed on anyone scout. Develop a roster so a scout may cover the mornings games and another individual covers the afternoons

Allocate scouts to a team; this is really great for a scout to develop a deeper awareness about an opposition

Complete a roster for scouts on a round-robin basis; this is useful when utilising parents to help scout so they can see their children play in some games

Roster scouts for part of a game; this is another useful strategy when using parents, one individual can scout the first half, while another completes the notes on the 2nd half of the game

Schedules for many tournaments come out well in advance. Taking the time to plan will make things significantly easier in these cases. For other situations where the draw is unknown, scouts just need to be more flexible in dealing with the needs of the team in regards to scouting on the run.

Film, Statistics and Scouting Notes

The ideal situation when scouting should come down to a number of sources of information being used to develop a game plan. Not one piece of information will provide all of the answers on how to develop an unbeatable strategy. This can also be said about scouting just one game involving a specific team. The more games scouted of a team, the better the information upon which to make a decision. Using a variety of sources of information will help make the most informed decision possible.

Store Records

A tournament properly scouted can produce a very large sum of information. This can be in the form of any number of different mediums. If possible, storing information electronically is usually the most practical.

Information though should never be thrown away. Even if a game plan was not successful, every game tells a coach something about the opposition. Notes specific to teams, individuals, and opposition coaches should be stored and referred to in other situations to help build a database of scouting knowledge.

Sharing Information

In some cases, sharing information related to scouting can be a very useful strategy to pick up on gaps in knowledge and information. Always be mindful however, about sharing strategy. It is fine to share observations as long as those do not relate directly to a team’s game plan. The best resource to share is film so the other coach has to make up their own mind about the strategy needed.

Scouting is a very important aspect of a team’s preparation before and during a tournament. Taking some time to plan and map out the strategy will help ensure a smooth and fruitful campaign.